Fastening device for supporting brackets or luggage racks for automotive vehicles

ABSTRACT

In a fastening device for supporting brackets or luggage racks for automotive vehicles, the tensioning screw which biases the clamping claw against the supporting foot and the roof gutter is overlapped by a protecting cap which is non-separably connected with the clamping claw. The protecting cap has a mounting aperture through which the tensioning screw can be actuated with a tool. The mounting aperture can be closed by a locking device which can be actuated by a key and closes the mounting aperture only in the locking position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a fastening device of the type described in thepreamble of claim 1.

In a conventional fastening device of this type (German Utility ModelNo. 78 07 135), a protecting cap is pivotably or removably secured tothe clamping claw and is connectable with the clamping claw by thelocking bolt of a lock secured to the protecting cap to the extent that,in the locking position of the lock, the locking bolt extends into aslot of the clamping claw so that, without actuating the lock, theprotecting cap cannot be detached any more. In this manner, thetensioning screw which biases the clamping claw against the roof gutterand against the supporting foot is not accessible any more, i.e., thesupporting foot can be secured to the roof gutter of an automativevehicle in a theftproof manner.

A drawback of this conventional construction is that, in order to allowfor actuation of the tensioning screw, the protecting cap must bedetached and then constitutes a part which is separated from theclamping claw and must be applied again subsequent to securing of thesupporting bracket on the roof gutter. This is not only cumbersome butthere also exists the possibility of the protecting cap becoming lost ifit is not attached to the clamping claw when the supporting bracket isremoved.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to overcome such drawbacks and to providea fastening device wherein the actuation is facilitated and losing ofthe protecting cap is impossible.

In accordance with the invention, this object is accomplished in thatthe protecting cap is non-separably connected with the clamping claw, atleast from the outside, and is provided with a mounting aperture and inthat the locking or blocking device closes the mounting aperture in thelocking position thereof. As a result of connection of the protectingcap to the clamping claw in such a way that, at the very most, theprotecting cap can be detached only from the inside, i.e., when thesupporting bracket or the luggage rack is removed from the roof gutter,and further in view of the fact that a mounting aperture is provided inthe protecting cap, one ensures that unlocking of the locking devicemerely entails exposure of the mounting aperture in order to be in aposition to actuate the tensioning screw. Removal of the protecting capis not necessary. This renders it impossible to misplace the protectingcap and to be incapable of locating it again, when necessary, while thesupporting bracket or the luggage rack is removed.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the lockingor blocking device comprises a lock which is disposed adjacent to themounting aperture and has a portion, such as a locking bolt, whichoverlies the mounting opening from the inside in the locking positionthereof.

The protecting cap can be welded or riveted to the clamping claw but itis also possible, in principle, to separably secure the protecting capto the clamping claw. For such purpose, one end of the protecting capcomprises a bent-over tongue which can be introduced into a slot of theclamping claw and the opposite end of the protecting cap is providedwith an inwardly bent portion or lug which is connectable with theclamping claw from the inner side of the latter by a screw connection.Owing to the last-discussed construction, there exists, broadlyspeaking, the possibility of separating the protecting cap from theclamping claw; however, only in the event that the supporting bracket orthe luggage rack is not installed on the roof of the vehicle. In normalcondition of use of the supporting bracket or luggage rack, the screwconnection is covered by the clamping claw on the one hand and thesupporting foot on the other hand so that the protecting cap cannot beremoved.

In order to accomplish the previously mentioned object, the protectingcap, too, can be separably but articulately connected with a base plateor an analogous holder which can be fixed on the clamping claw by meansof the tensioning screw, and the locking device can comprise a lockwhose locking bolt cooperates with a recess or projection or the like onthe base plate in the locking position of the bolt. In this embodiment,the protecting cap is again held against losing on the supportingbracket or on the luggage rack, as long as the tensioning screw mesheswith the supporting foot. The base plate is held by the clamping claweven after the tensioning screw is loosened to such an extent that theclamping claw can be separated from the roof gutter or must be slippedonto it in order to be in a position to remove or detach the supportingbracket from the roof gutter. This embodiment of theft prevention of thesupporting bracket can be installed subsequently at any time in anexisting supporting bracket since there is no need to provide theclamping claw with any devices in order to be in a position to securethe protecting cap because the protecting cap is held on the clampingclaw by the tensioning screw through the medium of the base plate whichis articulately connected thereto. Subsequent equipping of a supportingbracket with such theft preventing device is rendered possible on theadditional ground that the locking bolt does not cooperate with theclamping claw but rather with the base plate. Common to the two possibleembodiments is the feature that, in both instances, the locking boltdoes not cooperate with the clamping claw or with a part which ismounted on the clamping claw and constitutes a catch or a protuberance.Instead, in the first embodiment, the locking bolt overlaps the mountingaperture and, in the second embodiment, the locking bolt cooperates withthe base plate so that the protecting cap and the base plate constitutea unit which is independent of the clamping claw.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the lower part of a supporting foot of asupporting bracket or luggage rack with a fastening device which issecured against unauthorized opening;

FIG. 2 is a section along the line II--II in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a modified embodiment; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the modified embodiment shown in FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In each of the embodiments which are illustrated in the drawing, thereis provided a clamping claw 2 which serves to secure a supporting memberin the form of a foot on the roof gutter which is provided on anautomotive vehicle and into which the supporting foot 1 extends. Ahooked portion 3 of the clamping claw engages the roof gutter from belowand its inclined upper part 4 rests on an inclined surface 5 which isformed by a protuberance 6 of the supporting foot 1. The clamping claw 2can be biased against the supporting foot 1 by a securing device hereshown as a tensioning screw 7. To this end, the tensioning screw 7meshes with a nut 9 which is non-rotatably mounted in the interior ofthe protuberance 6 which latter is formed by a bulge of the supportingfoot 1. A protecting cap 10 serves to cover the tensioning screw 7,especially its head 8 which is provided with a slot. The upper end ofthe protecting cap 10 has a bent-over tongue 11 which extends into aslot 12 of the clamping claw 2. At its lower end, the protecting cap 10is provided with an inwardly bent portion or lug 13 which is connectedby a fastener in the form of a screw 14 to the clamping claw 2 from theinner side of the latter. Consequently, when the clamping claw 2 is in aposition of use, i.e., when the latter is mounted on the roof gutter andon the supporting foot 1, the protecting cap 10 cannot be removedanymore.

A mounting aperture 15 which is provided in the protecting cap allowsfor actuation of the tensioning screw 7, for example, with a screwdriver16. A blocking device or lock 17 which is installed in the protectingcap 10 at a level below the mounting aperture 15 has a turnable lockingportion or bolt 18 which overlies the mounting aperture 15 from theinside in the locking position thereof so that the screwdriver 16 cannotreach the tensioning screw 7 anymore.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4, the tensioning screw 7 can securethe clamping claw 2 to a holder here shown as a base plate 19 to whichis articulately connected a protecting cap 21 by way of a hinge 20. Alock 22 which is installed in the protecting cap 21 comprises a turnablelocking bolt 23 which extends into the opening 24 of an extension 25secured to the base plate 19 whereby the protecting cap 21 cannot bepivoted upwardly about the hinge 20. In such locking position of thelock 22, the tensioning screw 7 is protected against unauthorizedaccess. Since it is entirely independent of the clamping claw 2, i.e.,since there is not need to provide the claiming claw with slots orprojections in order to secure the protecting cap, this embodiment canbe mounted on a supporting bracket at a later time.

I claim:
 1. In a luggage rack or an analogous carrier of objects on theroof of an automotive vehicle of the type having a roof gutter, thecombination of at least one supporting member which can extend fromabove into the roof gutter of a vehicle; a claw which can overlie suchroof gutter and engage the latter from below a device for releasablysecuring said claw to said supporting member and to the roof gutter ofthe vehicle on which the carrier is mounted; a protecting cap mounted onand located in front of said claw and having an aperture which rendersthe securing device accessible through said cap, said protecting capbeing nonseparable from the claw from the outside thereof; and ablocking device provided on said cap and having a portion movablebetween first and second positions in which said portion respectivelypresents and affords access to said supporting member in said aperture.2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said blocking device comprises alock mounted on said cap adjacent to said aperture and said portion ofsaid blocking device is a bolt which is located in the interior of saidcap.
 3. The combination of claim 2, wherein said bolt is turnablebetween said positions thereof.
 4. The combination of claim 1, whereinsaid cap is welded to said claw.
 5. The combination of claim 1, whereinsaid cap is riveted to said claw.
 6. The combination of claim 1, whereinsaid cap has a first end portion including a tongue and an inwardly bentsecond end portion adjacent to said claw, said claw having a slot forsaid tongue and further comprising fastener means on said claw andseparably securing said inwardly bent portion of said cap to said claw.